The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-14
The Little Fortune Teller.

u Oitu CttSN' inC lluullJilS Duuuudt
leaves that waved over the front
fence, the bright pomegranate BIOS
SONS that peered at you as
the gate opened, the voluptuous per-
fuine OF the night jasmine that filled
the atmosphere thereabouts o. even
ings, all suggested that the little resi-
dence on Rue Condo could contain
nothing but some soft-throated, light
hearted and gay inmate. Even the
striped awning that kept out the sun s
glare from the gallery seemed to speak
OF refinement and beauty within, and
when the sparkling notes OF a piano
poured out into the streets, halting
the pedestrians by their sweetness, one
would make an affidavit, willingly,
that the occupant oil that house was
both young and beautiful. 1t is true
that the front fence cut of all view OF
the house and yard, but its boards
were so neatly whitewashed and the
gate almost brilliant in suit OF pea
green paint, that they, like the illus
trated cover OF a book, spoke for the
interior.
Ii further testimony was asked for
regarding the charms of the house
holder before alluded to, the corner
grocery man and the Gascon old gen.
tleman who supplied the neighbor-
hood with milk might be called upon,
for both had seen that exquisite face
at early morn as it passed modestly
by on its way to mass. Both OF these
wit nesses had frequently spoken OF
that little figure in black, and both
had put their five fingers together in
a bunch and kissed their tips ecstati.
cally, calculating, CONNIE ca" as
expressive OF the quality OF the lady
beauty. The house Was a cottage and
1T stood some distance back from the
street, n luxuriant flower garden in
tervening. 1t was built in the old
Creole style, about which there
is so little pretension and so much
comfort. The landlord when
spoken to regarding his tenants, had
in very practical way destroyed
many illusions that had gathered
around the inmates OF the house, by
stating that it was rented to q Mons.
jerome Savoy and his sister, neither
over twenty-five,
"They seldom went out" he said,
''for they had been left orphans not
long since, and their father, just before
dying, had acknowledged that his mer-
camille house had been running for
some time on false credit and he was
a ruined man" With this rather un.
satisfactory requiem he had closed
his eyes, and was dutifully followed to
the old ST. Louis cemetery by his
two children, the heavy disap-
pointment OF his creditors keep
ing them away. He had kept large
establishment, with a score OF slaves
ana all the paraphernalia that be.
. longed in the "iifties, " in New Orleans,
to wealth. Now all this was gone. A
meeting oil creditors, a syndic, and n
sheriff with his red flag and drum, all
had vanished, leaving the brother and
sister with good education and but
little money. Estelle, the young lady,
mourned the loss OF herfather sincere
ly, but nature had endowed her with
that priceless gift, a happy DISPOSE
ton, and after season OF weeping
she had gathered her own little saw
ings together and, with her brother,
had started housekeeping in the
cottage. The society OF which
she was such an ornament knew
her no more; almost the only persons
OF the outside world who saw her were
her priest and the proprietor OF lace
store were she regularly sold her week.
handiwork Her piano had been saw
ed from the wreck and her ,potted
flowers also. With these she made
their little home gay. Her brother
found ready Employment in a mer-
camille house, so between them the I'M
pretentious house on Rue Condo was
quite domestic paradise. With NIL
the happiness OF brother and sister
there was still little skeleton in the
cottage. 1t is true, Jerome Savoy
never saw or heard from the dlmlnu-
tive pest. but to Estelle it was uncer-
enormously popping up at times
and making her feel some
what uncomfortable Particularly
ut twilight he would make his appear
ance as she sat at the piano toying
with the keys. Then it was that this
traditional household appendage
would creep out and give tug at Es'
telle's heartstrings. This skeleton
was the sweet recollection of n certain
gentleman by the name of Edgar For.
tineau, who had been very attentive
TO her before her fathers death, and